Solitude
by Forever Fearless
Summary: It started eight months ago. He killed them, one by one, her family and her friends. Now she, Athena, was under the protection of the best detective in the world, but will he be too late to save her when she needs him the most?


I do not own any of the original Characters from Death Note.

Written: February 19, 2010

Solitude

She was under some type of witness protection program. She had to transfer to a different college and change her name. The guy had killed eleven people in order to get to her, including her family members. The man was still on the loose though, hence the protection. It started eight months ago. The guy would send her letters and flowers monthly. Had she known him, it would have been sweet, but she didn't. Eventually the letters got more personal and invasive. People she was close friends with started disappearing towards the sixth month of receiving his letters. He admitted to killing them in the seventh one. Their bodies were never found. This frightened her of course, and it was the day after her high school graduation when he finally showed himself. He took all of the people in her life that mattered away, and now, a week later, she was on her own to start a new life.

To make matters even worse, she'd been given a body guard that looked like he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. His physical appearance after being told that he was to protect her was enough to make her laugh. His posture alone was enough to throw anyone's suspicions, and maybe that was the idea, but he was just an awkward person in general.

She was unpacking her belongings for the first time in her life when the aforementioned body guard finally decided to make his grand appearance. Like their first encounter, he was standing in a dramatically slouched position. His clothes were wrinkled and his feet were crammed into a pair of old sneakers. However, despite his awkward demeanor, he was a very attractive.

He maintained natural jet black hair that was spiked perfectly, and dark circles under his eyes gave him the dangerous and mysterious persona. She assumed they were from lack of sleep, and in fact not a natural, physical characteristic. Regardless, he was her assigned body guard now.

"Good morning," he'd said excitedly. She gave him a skeptical look.

"Ryuzaki, do you have to stay in the same apartment with me?" He tilted his head at her.

"Do you value your life?"

She looked at him seriously when she answered, "No."

As expected, his eyes widened in surprise and he asked the most obvious question, "Why?"

She abandoned the box of kitchenware that she was going through on the counter and walked out of the kitchen.

"I haven't anything to live for now. I'm just running from someone that killed my reasons. What else is left?"

Of course he followed after her.

"That's not a valid reason," he stressed.

She lied down on the couch in the large living room and sighed at the debating conversation.

"You have your values. I'll have mine. I'm leaving to get something for us to eat. What do you want?"

In a flash he moved to stand in front of her and crossed his arms. "As you were informed before at our first meeting, you can't go anywhere without me from now on or at the least until the murderer is caught."

She stood up lazily with her attention directed solely on him. His dark eyes were so fierce right then.

"Then let's go together," she smiled innocently. The look on his face now was laughable. He was completely dumbfounded with her change in attitude. She gracefully walked away from him and grabbed her car keys. It wasn't his fault that she was in this situation. It was just that she was upset and confused. In less than one week's worth of time her whole life had changed again, and now other people were being tossed into it. Honestly, you could say she was more worried about him than she was about herself. He didn't have to be there. She did.

When they got into her Pontiac she took them to a small restaurant.

"You're risking your life by eating in public," he announced. At this she paused to cut the ignition.

"Fine."

Like she'd thought before, his life was in just as much danger as hers was. With that in mind, she decided to go through a drive threw. She ordered four cheeseburgers, two for each of them, and then made the short, silent journey home.

Once inside they sat at the two person kitchen table. His cell phone rang after a brief moment of silence. Not only did she notice how awkwardly he sat, with his legs pulled closely to his chest, but he held his phone by the top and slightly away from his ear with the tips of his fingers.

"Come on in, Watari," he said into the receiver. She quirked an eyebrow at him as he closed his phone.

"What's going on?" She asked.

He shrugged, "Food delivery."

The front door opened and an elderly man in a business suit came walking in with boxes of food.

"Thank you, Watari," Ryuzaki thanked him.

"There are many more in the truck," the man informed as he set three large boxes down on the counter.

"Umm…? Where are we going to sto-" She was unable to finish her sentence.

From some unknown source on the wall that Ryuzaki had pressed, a hidden room was revealed to her for the first time.

"What the? When and where did that come from?"

"It's a storage room. I had it specifically designed for this purpose," he said simply.

"You did?" She gawked. He and the man called Watari continued to fill the hidden room. It had a deep freezer, a refrigerator and tons of shelving space.

"What's going on?" Her thoughts became words.

Ryuzaki and Watari bowed to each other and then Watari left. Only then did Ryuzaki turn his attention to her.

"I'll need lots more, eventually," he smiled. "Which is why I made this room available for storage use."

Still, she was confused, and then suddenly her confusion turned into anger.

"You better start explaining everything right now, Ryuzaki."

Calmly he unwrapped a slice of cake or pie from its wrapper and walked out of the room. She followed before slamming him into the closest wall by his shoulders.

"If I'm going to live with you, you better start talking," she growled.

His expression didn't change, but he lifted his arm over one of hers and took a bite of his dessert.

"I'm the detective working on your case," he finally answered.

At this she released him and turned away.

"Why are you here?" Her eyes shut lightly.

"Your family's murderer is not just some everyday criminal. He'll come after you. I withheld this information about myself because I didn't think it was necessary, but now that you seem to hold a bit of concern for your life it's fine that you know."

"Concern for my life? Wha? You don't know what you're talking about. You're an ass, Ryuzaki, if that's even your real name," she declared and stormed off into her new bedroom.

"Athena! Wait!"

She froze at the sound of her real name.

"There are cameras in every room, including the bathroom. Inside the shower is the only blind spot."

Her anger spiked tenfold, but somehow she clenched it down and continued on her way. When she finally reached the comfort of her room she became slightly paranoid, but she had to change. After gathering her bedtime clothes she quickly took her shirt off, making sure she concealed herself as much as possible, while slipping on the other top. She did the same when putting on new bottoms.

"Dirty pervert," she mumbled.

From another hidden room, Ryuzaki watched her on one of his many monitors. He noticed that she left her undergarments on purposely and then changed them after all other articles of clothing were on, which in his opinion was much more difficult to deal with. He also noticed that her hair was longer than he originally thought too, because it blocked his view of most of her upper body. He licked his lips. She was really pretty. When erect she was just a little shorter than he was, and her long brown hair was highlighted with red streaks that complimented her blue eyes perfectly. He sighed and looked away from her only to hear, "dirty pervert," through the speakers.

"I'm not a pervert," he scoffed.

As if she could mutually hear him, even though she couldn't, he heard, "Good night, Ryuzaki! See your perverted ass in the morning!"

With a small smile he watched her crawl into bed.

"Maybe I am," he murmured, biting into another sweet.

When Athena woke the next morning she hadn't come even remotely close to forgetting about the cameras like Ryuzaki hoped and hurried to take a shower. She looked at her dead appearance in the mirror as she applied her daily makeup, and made haste in order to leave in time for her morning classes.

Ryuzaki was already in the kitchen shoveling different pastries both into his mouth and a plastic bag.

"Sugar?" He offered what looked like a small cube.

"Sugar cubes? Really? Good morning by the way," she moved around him. He watched her closely as he popped a white cube into his mouth.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked. Athena was in a particularly good mood this morning, but by the way the words came out of her mouth one might not have been able to tell.

"Gee, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"

He frowned slightly and followed her out of the apartment. When she started the car, this time, she noticed him press a few buttons on his watch before he glanced at the apartment building quickly.

"Security system?" She asked while backing out of the parking space.

"How did you know?" He asked in a bored tone.

"Want to know how I know that you planted speakers and not just cameras in the apartment?" She smiled sarcastically. His face was really surprised now. Not too surprised of course. She was half tempted to show him how she'd found out about the speakers, but with one glance at her long sleeved arm, she decided against it.

"Anyways," she continued before he could ask, "you'll be with me in all of my classes, right?"

He nodded from the passenger's seat. In a short drive they entered the college's campus lot and then made their way to her first class, sociology.

Ryuzaki sat beside her on one side, leaving the other side open to a blonde haired man with blue eyes.

"Well, hello there," he greeted. "I'm Sean."

She gave him a small smile. "I'm…" she paused to think of her new fake name. "I'm Amona. Nice to meet you, Sean."

Ryuzaki didn't seem to be paying attention to her as the kid attempted to flirt, and for some reason she was feeling a little put out. So, instead of continuing a conversation with the blonde boy she turned to him.

"You can talk to me you know," she said softly. His eyes caught hers in a weird stare.

"I'm making silent observations about you as you speak to other people," was all he said before the professor waltzed in and began his lecture.

Lectures, in her opinion were the most boring things in the world. She jotted down a few notes here and there, but eventually Ryuzaki's persistent nail biting grew louder. She watched him. His usual sitting position looked kind of painful and in a moment of curiosity she mimicked him. At first she thought it felt strange to be hugging her legs while sitting on a chair, although, honestly, it wasn't uncomfortable. With a small laugh she released her legs and let them fall to the floor.

"Amona," Ryuzaki whispered.

When she looked at him she wasn't expecting a smile. She blushed and turned away. A few minutes passed and even though she wasn't looking at him, her thoughts still drifted back to him.

Everything about him was a lie. He pretended to be a body guard and a student, when clearly he was not physically built to have a guard title, and he was clearly smarter than everyone in the room presently. Surely his name was faulty too. She had told him once that she didn't like not knowing anything about him while he protected her. He knew everything about what was happening and more about her than she did. Her thoughts drifted to something her father had told her a day before the incident. Deep down, she knew that she knew who he really was.

In a moment of exasperation she tossed him her car keys and fled the classroom. She needed to think about it. If he was able to arrange a safe haven for her she wanted to know who he was and why he was doing it.

Running down the campus sidewalk wasn't going to help, but 'Ryuzaki' was so suffocating. He wasn't following her, that she noticed, either. She sighed in relief.

Even if he was a stranger to her, he was still risking his life for hers. It confused her. After her friends had been reported as dead, police officers had been assigned to her, and they all died too. She honestly didn't want anyone else to die.

Her ears picked up on the sounds of yelping and soft barks, along with other noises, and she looked to the right to see a pet store.

"I wonder," she bit her lip and entered.

Birds squawked from a small section and mice squeaked from another, but her attention was drawn towards the puppies' area.

"Can I help you?" An employee had asked.

She looked at the different litters of dog before picking one up. It was all white except for a small area under his left eye.

"I'll take this one," she laughed as her face was licked.

While she was there she purchased a bag of puppy food.

"Come on little guy," she cooed, making her way home, roughly a block or so away.

At first the little guy was sleepy, but when she walked through the door of the apartment he perked up immediately. Athena saw no signs of Ryuzaki, although she knew he was there because her car was out front.

"Ryuzaki!" She called. "I'm home!"

She set the puppy on the floor and almost instantly he took off. Trailing behind him she tilted her head when he stopped to scratch and cry at one of the walls. She laughed and then realized what was going on. About waist high was a slight protruding part of the wall that was visible to her. It was roughly the size of a dime. She pushed the button and watched as the wall slid open like the one for the storage room did.

"Ryuzaki?" She asked cautiously. He popped out from behind her, nearly making her jump.

"A puppy?" He looked down at the small boxer and pit-bull mix.

"I just, well," she defended poorly.

"What's his name?"

Athena paused to examine the small dog.

"I was thinking Neff was suitable," she picked him up.

"Neff?"

She giggled and handed him to Ryuzaki.

"I can keep him, right?"

Ryuzaki held Neff awkwardly with his arms outstretched and away from him.

"Normally, I-"

"Please?" She begged. He sighed and handed Neff back to her.

"Normally, I would say no, but given your predicament I'll allow it," he watched her set Neff on the floor again.

With a cheer of delight at his answer Athena threw her arms around his neck in appreciation.

"Thank you!" She praised, giving him a quick peck on the cheek and chasing after Neff.

Ryuzaki held the cheek that was just assaulted in utter shock.

"I could fall for you," he whispered, biting into a cookie.

It was almost midnight when Athena tried to go to sleep. Her arm was killing her though. In exasperation, she tore the covers off and made her way to the kitchen. She wore long pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, which made her arm visible, but it was just too hot to wear long sleeves to bed. She didn't think he could see on the camera's either due to the small amount of light she was using. Besides, she had it bandaged and covered in a wrap to prevent infection.

As quietly as possible she made a pot of tea and sat down, sipping some out of a cup. The burn on her arm wasn't to server, although it sure was disgusting looking without the wrap on.

"Why are you still awake?" She froze at the sound of his voice calling from behind her. The lights in the kitchen flickered on completely and in a panic she pulled at her sleeve.

"Want some tea?" She moved to get him a cup. Her arm mostly concealed.

"Athena, let me see your arm," he said with a sigh.

"How did you know?" she asked in surprise.

"Your body language gives away everything about you. Now, let me see your arm," he commanded in a low voice.

With a sigh herself, she held her arm out to him. Slowly, he pulled the bandages she'd used off and held her arm firmly at the wrist in one hand while the other was gently placed under her forearm.

"This is an electrical burn. The speaker?" He was looking at her, she could tell, but she nodded in response with her eyes focused on her empty cup on the table.

"Come with me," he pulled her along. He led her to the bathroom.

"It's fine, Ryuzaki," she tried to reason. He ignored her and grabbed first aid items that she wasn't aware that they had.

"Next time inform me immediately. If you don't I'll be forced to take drastic measures."

Athena rolled her eyes.

"I doubt that," slipped from her lips.

Ryuzaki glared at her before wiping out a pair of handcuffs. He attached one to both of their wrists and the chain connected to each end snaked out of his butt pocket.

"What are you-?"

"Don't underestimate me. I'll do anything to insure your well-being, and for the record, if you pull another stunt like you did yesterday, I'll be forced to keep you out of school," he said almost darkly, finishing his work on her arm.

"You're so infuriating! You're just going to get yourself killed! Why don't you just go away?" She yelled at him.

"The case isn't solved yet."

"I don't give a damn about the case!" She began to cry unwillingly. "They died protecting me and I'll gladly give my life if it means you and anyone else will be spared. I don't want anyone else to die. Can't you understand that?"

He walked away, pulling her with him, and headed toward her bedroom.

"I'm here because I choose to be. I'm one of the top detectives in the world. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think it would increase the chances of your survival," he informed as he sat with his back to the headboard. Athena sat on her own side with her legs crossed and facing him.

"You don't get it. I've been through so much already. My survival is no different from anyone else's. Eleven people died trying to protect me. Do you have any idea how emotionally ill it makes me? I don't think I could bare another death," she said sadly.

L tampered with the cuff around his wrist.

"I don't understand that, but if I left then their lives would have been taken in vain. They felt you were worth it."

"My friends didn't even know what was happening!"

L directed his full attention at her now. "There is always a risk when getting involved with people."

Athena sighed and whispered, "This is pointless."

"It's only pointless if you let it be," he whispered back.

Silence fell between them for a brief moment before Athena asked, "If I ask who you are, would you tell me?"

He gazed at her in contemplation, "Depends on who you think I am."

The chain between them fell between Athena's fingers like sand.

"I thought about it a lot yesterday. Obviously I couldn't do any research with you practically breathing down my neck, but I figured you were someone popular among underground agencies and hard to contact. I think the only reason you took this case was because it met a self interest. I think you're L."

His expression didn't change at her assumption.

"How'd you catch wind of me?" He bit his nails, not denying her.

"My father told me if things got too bad that some 'L' person would step in. That's all I know. I didn't care about what happened to me before, so I didn't look into it, but I'm positive you're him. L isn't your real name though, is it?" She lied down.

"No, and I'll never tell you," he wiggled his toes. She let a laugh escape her and turned her back to him.

"Why did you take my case anyway?" she asked quietly.

L pondered on the question before pursing his lips together, making a 'pop' sound.

"I was an acquaintance of your father. He and Watari were close friends before he died. Watari informed me of your father's worries for you. Your father in a sense is the reason I am here. He's protecting his baby girl from the grave. I couldn't ignore an orphaned girl."

"Oh Father," Athena sighed. "As much as I wish that no one else would get hurt, I'm glad someone is willing to. I don't like being alone," she admitted. Closing her eyes she muttered a, "thank you," and drifted to sleep.

L's eyes were glued to her form as he tried to make sense of what she'd said. Something about the sincerity in her voice struck a chord. The longer he was around her, the more dangerous it was going to get.

The light shinning in from the window beamed onto Athena's face in desperate attempts to wake her.

"Mmmmm…" she rolled over. She watched the chain on her mattress clang against itself before her eyes caught sight of the fingers attached to the wrist she was bound to. L's hands looked so gentle at rest. She let her eyes continue to wander. The sunlight bathed his body, giving him a seraphic appearance. His posture was the same as she remembered from the night before. He was leaning against the head board with his legs drawn up to his chest. His face was firm with his hair covering his closed eyelids. She never thought anyone could be so attractive, and yet, here life was, proving her wrong.

"L," she said softly, resting a hand on top of his to shake him.

With surprising speed, he grasped her hand and held onto it gently.

Athena's cheeks flushed when she realized he was holding her hand in his sleep.

"L," she said more loudly. His eyes opened slowly and he released her hand to stretch.

"Good morning," he smiled.

"L," I have to pee. Can you take these off now?" She rolled onto her stomach.

He yawned and stood up. "Only if you promise me something first."

At this Athena raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Promise that you won't run off again."

"I promise I won't."

L hesitated, but then swiftly removed the cuff from her wrist.

"Thanks," she ran to the bathroom.

Athena didn't have any classes, so when she got dressed she changed into a different pair of pajamas. She watched a few movies in the living room area of the apartment for a while before her mind went on a tangent. She watched as the fan blades on the ceiling spun so slowly that it was easy to follow them with her eyes. Silently, without even turning the television off, she headed for her room. Within the confines of her closet she found a small photo album she'd made for graduation.

She held the album close to her body and walked to the bay window to sit down. The suns bright rays made the photos glossy. She spent minutes on each page. The occasional stray tear, born from either happiness or sadness, would course down her cheek.

"Athena?" L's voice seemed so distant to her, but she lifted her head and wiped the tears away from her face quickly.

L took a seat across from her on the window seal.

"I'm not one who is good with these sorts of things, but perhaps you desire a hug?"

Athena laughed at him and his attempt to cheer her up.

"I desire a lot of things, but yes I would like a hug," she smiled. L moved toward her before he hesitated and looked at his arms. Again, Athena giggled.

"Like this," she demonstrated. She pulled on his biceps in order to wrap his arms around her waist and then she snaked her own arms around his neck. "You never hugged anyone before?"

L's hands shook slightly as he pulled her closer to him.

"I've seen the act preformed before, but no, I have never hugged anyone before."

Athena drew back with a laugh. "That's really sad."

"You're really sad," he said bluntly.

"Yeah.." she whispered and let her eyes drift back to the photos. "I just can't believe they're all gone."

"You mean your family?"

"Mhmm, friends too of course," she nodded.

"I can't bring them back, but I can provide for you in their place."

She snorted softly. "I'm not a child, L. I just miss them, you know?"

"No, I never knew my parents. They died when I was little. Watari was my caretaker."

"Oh...I'm so sorry," she said in surprise.

"Don't be. I know that I can survive and make the world a better place for people. I was just too late to make it better for you."

"Don't apologize for that monster."

L took her hand and held it gently. Athena blushed as he continued to move his thumb across the soft skin and then over her knuckles as though he'd forgotten her hand was attached to a body.

"Life is so fragile and can be taken away in an instant. It seems difficult to make it through alone, but I can help you through it if you let me."

"I don't mind the company."

L grinned at her for reasons unbeknownst to her.

"See you in the morning," he stood and left. All Athena could do was stare oddly after him with a small smile.

About a week later, the handcuff ordeal had been forgotten completely.

"Ryuzaki," she called from her bedroom.

"Is something wrong?" He asked in a bored tone from the doorway.

When Athena turned and approached him, for the first time ever, he looked nervous. With her bareback facing him she asked with a small blush, "Could you zip this up for me please?"

Shaking fingers tugged the metal piece, pulling the fabric of her dress together, before they fell back to his sides. When he was finished Athena rolled her eyes, snatched her bag off the bed, and left the room after saying, "It's not like you've never seen me nude before, you pervert."

As though she had slapped him in the face he trailed after her.

"I never!"

"Yeah, I believe that," she said sarcastically.

"It's true! I have some… and besides, even if I were, who could blame me?"

She grabbed the car keys from the kitchen counter.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Quickly she checked the floor to make sure she'd laid down a pee mat and set out food and water for Neff.

"It means that your beauty is worthy of attention," he continued as they got into the vehicle.

"But not worth your attention?"

"I- It," he stuttered.

"You don't deal with girls very often, do you?" She buckled the seatbelt.

"I don't engage myself in situations to get close to any, but I'm not complaining."

"You're gay then?"

His face lit up in horror.

"No, I simply just don't see the need for a relationship with a woman when I'm-"

"Too busy bringing justice to the world?" She interrupted.

"More or less," he agreed.

"Well, what if someone liked you?"

"Then it would depend on what I thought of them, and of course how attractive they were. They'd have to be very attractive," he rambled on.

Athena let a smile spread across her face. She was getting him to open up to her, and despite his childishness she found his company rather enjoyable.

They were walking to her art class when something else popped into her head.

"Ryuzaki, I know it's not really safe, but do you think we could maybe go see a movie?"

"It's not possible," he shot her down. Her face was solemn as she sank into her art chair. "However, I could manage to set up a home theater if you'd like."

Her ears tingled and she knew her excitement was written all over her face. "You'd do that for me?"

"This way will keep you alive," he bit his nails. It was satisfying enough for her, although the butterfly feeling in her stomach concerned her a bit.

"Oh yeah, do we have chocolate ice-cream at home?"

"Yes."

Now she was more than satisfied.

The moment they made it home she checked on the puppy. He'd chewed on one of L's shoes, not that you could really tell by just looking at them. L could tell though, because he was sulking about it.

After the puppy situation had been taken care of Athena popped a batch of brownies into the oven. In the mean time she watched Watari and L set up an entertainment center in the living room and bring in more boxes of L's beloved goodies.

"You guys sure do work fast," she commented.

"It's the best way to do so," Watari replied with a smile. L had disappeared somewhere for a few moments and that was when Watari's smile turned into a slight frown.

"Is something wrong, Watari?" She asked in concern.

"The master seems very, distracted," he wondered.

"Well, he is working on like, four different cases along with mine," she informed him. Of course he knew that already.

"No, I don't mean that. I mean happy distracted," he explained. "Athena, master L will do whatever it takes to make sure your life goes unharmed, please have faith in him," Watari finished with a smile.

Shrugging, Athena started for the kitchen again. "Don't worry, Watari, I trust him."

The kitchen smelled of chocolate and deliciousness, and in Athena's opinion she thought that L ate too many white based pastries and way too many lollipops. When she carried two large bowls of the chocolaty mixture into the living room, L stood in front of the window by himself. It was already a quarter after eight.

"L, I made this for you," she offered it to him.

He hesitated to move.

"I didn't poison it or anything," she insisted. Reluctantly he accepted it.

"I've picked Ester to watch. Is that okay with you?" He asked as they sat down on the couch. Athena nodded and spooned the gooey substance into her mouth.

Within a few minutes L had finished his bowl and Athena was about sick of hers.

"Are you going to finish that?" He asked hyperactively.

She handed it to him. "Knock yourself out," she said sickly.

When he was finished he set her bowl next to his and then drew a notebook from somewhere on his person.

"What do you call this?"

"Are you taking a survey or something?" She laughed and pulled the blanket from the back of the couch.

"It's my book of favorable foods," he poised his pen.

With a smile, Athena said, "I call it brownie batter. It's simply chocolate ice-cream and brownies mixed together."

He jotted the information down and then placed the notebook back into his pants somewhere.

"It was unbelievably good," he complimented.

"Thanks," she grinned.

The movie was about three quarters of the way in when Athena grew weary, yawning frequently. Eventually she slid toward L's shoulder and fell asleep. L looked at her sleeping form that was now sprawled across his lap. Her long hair covered her face slightly and with smooth hands he brushed the strands behind an ear. In barely two weeks she'd gotten under his skin. She was beautiful, though he doubted he'd ever have the balls to tell her.

"I am falling for you," he whispered as he twirled her hair. He knew then that his life would be sacrificed in order to protect her if it came down to it. She earned it.

At nine in the morning Athena found herself in her own bed.

"How'd I get in here?" She thought with a yawn. Her thoughts drifted to the night before. A smile drifted across her features as she threw back the covers and entered the bathroom. L had said that he didn't watch her when she showered or when she undressed, but she snorted at the thought. She knew otherwise, and by now she'd picked up some tricks along the way. She dressed underneath a robe and went in search of the puppy when she was finished.

She found Neff with L in the monitor room, and as soon as she entered the little guy ran to her and playfully wrestled with her hands.

"Hi little guy," she said in a sugar coated voice. "Did you sleep well? Huh?" Neff barked. "You're too cute," she gushed.

L was watching them play together on the floor as he silently ate his donut.

"How are you not fat?" She complained, standing.

"My brain burns the calories," he licked his fingers. She rolled her eyes with a grin and returned to her bedroom. He trailed after her with Neff at his heals.

She sat at her art station that was now her multi-work area and also the place where she applied her makeup.

"Why do you wear that stuff?" L asked, now holding a less rowdy Neff.

"I don't use anything but eyeliner and shadow. And it draws attention away from my face," she informed while coloring her lids.

"I see no reason for you to do so. It's not as though you're unfortunate."

She couldn't help the blush that lit her face and instead of facing the fire she stood.

"We're going to be late to my sociology class. Come on."

When they arrived the same boy, Sean, sat beside her.

"Hey babe, I was thinking that you and I should hang out sometime," he grinned.

"Uh, haha, maybe," she laughed nervously. A sense of discomfort washed over her and she moved closer to L. L studied her reactions to the boy and very clearly could tell she was uncomfortable with the situation, so he pulled her even closer to him.

She smiled at him in relief before whispering a, "thank you."

The class only lasted an hour and twenty minutes, but with the never ending glances that she received from Sean, it seemed longer. In fact, when it was over she ran out of the room with L's wrist firmly gripped between her fingers.

"Amona, you're fine, stop running," he'd reasoned.

"What a creeper," she ranted.

"Just calm down," he instructed.

"Amona!" Sean's voice reached her ears from behind them. "Hey!" Sean greeted.

"Uh?"

"Can we help you?" L intervened.

"I just want to talk to Amona," he grabbed her hand. L looked on closely as she was pulled away from him.

"Come back to my place with me," Sean said in a low voice. Athena scoffed at him in disbelief.

"Absolutely not!"

"Come on, I've seen the way you look at me," he pulled her hips close to his. She slapped him across the face.

"I would never!"

Sean made a quick, angry recovery, and grasped the back of her head at the hair roots. Visibly she bit her lip. L was running over to her as it was happening. If it wouldn't have hurt to roll her eyes, she would have, but instead she didn't waste any more time.

Quickly she bent her leg, raising it between their bodies, and then extended it again. Sean's jaw and her foot connected with a sickening crunch and her hair was released. Policeman appeared from nowhere, and L's arms calmly pulled her away from the scene.

"Why did you do that?" She yelled at him. Sean was arrested for assault as she and L verbally fought in the parking lot.

"I wanted to see if you could handle that type of situation."

Athena swung a fist at him. It didn't connect where she wanted it too, but it did connect.

"He could have pulled a gun or something and you would have just watched!" She shouted.

Faster than she could process what was happening, L's arms pinned her own at her sides.

"I wouldn't have let you go if I hadn't already known he was basically harmless. It was a simple test of strength. I promise," he paused. "You're okay though, yes?"

His eyes didn't lie as he gazed down at her. The truth and concern was evident enough to clear her head of any remnant anger. Easily she slipped her arm out of his grip and pulled his face close to hers. Her lips met his cheek in a gentle show of affection like they had once before, but she'd removed them just as quickly.

"You're still a jerk," she whispered and walked away. To her, he didn't care if she died.

The puppy was sleeping on Athena's bed when they got home. Gently she petted him and listened to the rain that had started to fall.

"I'll be back in a bit, boy," she whispered, slipping from the room. She'd seen the monitors in L's make-shift office often enough to know that it was impossible to sneak outside, but instead of sneaking she went straight up the stairs located closest to the kitchen. She needed fresh air.

The moment she opened the door to the roof she felt the spray of cold water hit her skin. She removed her socks and shoes, tossing them down the steps, and then walked into the open. The rain was frosty against her skin and she could see her breath when she exhaled.

It didn't take long for her tank top and jeans to be thoroughly soaked. Steady drops pounded against her body as she stood staring out at the dark sky. A cough possessed her for a moment, forcing her to her knees.

"Why?" She whispered, her head bent and fists clenched atop her thighs. She bit her lip and thrashed her fists against the rooftop, splashing the cold water away from her.

"Why'd you have to leave me?" She shouted with sealed eyes in anguish. Warm tears trailed down her cheeks and a shiver racked her body. "Why'd you leave me all alone?" She murmured finally.

A shadow was cast over her as she continued to rest her head between her arms that held her body up from the roof. Two warm hands gently pulled up on her shoulders and the action scared her. Her head flew up instantly. L's eyes were sympathetic when she looked at him.

"L," she choked out. His arms welcomed her the second she bolted forward. "They're all gone," she cried openly. One of his hands pressed against her lower back while the other held her head against the side of his neck.

"Athena, you're burning up. Let me get you inside," he said in a rather worried tone.

"Just-just let me die here…" her words were lost to a shudder.

"I'm not letting you give up. Come on," he said more determined. Quickly his arms moved positions. One now rested under the back of her knees and the other moved to her upper back.

"L, please," she begged in a weak voice.

"You've got a fever. You're being irrational." He flew down the stairs and carried her into the bedroom.

"Why can't you understand? Your efforts are only going to be in vain. After the case is solved I'll be on my own. I'll just-"

"No." His tone was rough, but he rested her against the side of the bed gently and took a hold of her chin. "I won't let that happen. I won't let you do that," he growled.

Her head swam and lulled freely when he released her. She was shivering uncontrollably. He unbuttoned her jeans and began to peel them off of her when he realized that it only seemed to frighten her.

"You're soaked," he reminded in a softer voice. She relaxed slightly and nodded as a sign of permission.

Once her shirt was removed he hurried to the bathroom to fetch a towel and carefully dried her hair.

"Hold onto my neck," he commanded. She did as he asked with such little strength that she nearly fell again, however, L's firm grip didn't allow it until she was safely positioned on the bed.

"Why do you care about what happens to me?" She coughed and shuddered.

"Because you're worth caring about, that's why."

He'd left her undergarments on purposely, regardless of his better judgment. He was more worried about her emotional comfort at this point. There were plenty enough resources in the house to maintain her health. He pulled the blankets up to her chin so that they'd cover her entire body and then stood up as straight as straight was for him in order to examine his handy work. From there he moved to get the puppy, lightly resting him on Athena's chest to add warmth, and then turned to leave. With a weak hand Athena lightly caught the sleeve of his arm.

"Don't leave," she barely whispered.

"I'm going to make you a cup of tea, I'll be-"

"No," her eyelids grew heavy. "That's not what I mean," she finished weakly.

"I promise you," he tucked her hand back under the covers and she watched him go. She was ill and she hadn't even realized it.

Morning came and her fever had broken sometime while she'd slept. She sat up slowly. L was perched at the foot of her bed, startling her when she glanced around.

"L," she said subconsciously.

"Are you feeling better?" He crawled toward her. His posture made her laugh and cough at the same time.

"Athena," he patted her back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered once her breath was regained.

"No, don't apologized," he cupped her face. The blanket around her fell lower and a chill ran across her exposed chest. "I'll get you some clothes."

Athena tugged the fabric closer to her in embarrassment. With new clothes in hand L set them on his lap and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. His eyes never drifted from her face.

"I didn't see the puppy. Is he all right?"

"He's on his bed in the living room. I let him out an hour ago."

Her fingers fumbled with the fabric between them.

"You've been taking care of him and me. I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"Stop it," he commanded firmly, yet softly too.

She watched him lean back so he could reach into his pocket for something.

"Athena, I want you to have this," he handed the found object out to her. All she did was stare.

He pulled one of her hands away from her chest and put a uniquely striking piece of jewelry into the palm of her hand.

"L, this is…" she couldn't find a good word.

"I want you to value your life. Can you do that?" She nodded and kissed his left cheek.

"Thank you."

L stood and left her so that she could prepare for the day.

She took her time in the shower. Her schedule was class free for the day. The necklace around her neck wouldn't leave her mind, and now she was feeling slightly guilty about it. Valuing her life seemed so stupid to her, but at the same time she wanted him to know she acknowledge his request. An idea popped into her head.

"I suppose I'll still have his friendship when this is all over," she smiled and dressed quickly inside of the shower.

"Ryuzaki!" She now shouted from the kitchen. Even though they were inside, shouting his 'real' detective name around wasn't safe.

"What is it?" He appeared in the doorway.

"You know I don't have school today, right?"

"Yeah, I know."

She inspected the apron she held in her arms.

"Well, I've been thinking about things and I wanted to tell you, thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," he insisted.

Playfully she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh really? So, when I make a chocolate pie I don't have to share, right?"

His facial expression turned to one of panic.

"Calm down, I'd gain 50 pounds if I did that." They laughed at each other.

"I have some work to finish up, but I'll be back," he assured her and left.

She dismissed the idea, as though she could never really need his help on something this trivial. Neff, after a few minutes, paid her a visit from the living room.

"Hi boy," she exaggerated the tone of her voice. He barked cutely and ran circles around her legs. "Wanna watch me make L his damn pie? Huh?" He barked excitedly again as she poured the chocolate pudding into a gram cracker crust. "Yeah, you're right, he is a pain in the butt, but you know what, I like him," she laughed and stroked the tiny dogs head.

"Who's a pain in the butt?"

She laughed nervously at L from the floor and said innocently, "Uh? No one?"

He held a hand out to her and helped her to stand.

"You came just in time," she announced cheerfully.

"Did I?" He grinned.

"Come on detective; let's see how well you work in the kitchen."

Surprisingly, they worked well together while making homemade whipped cream. Athena tasted it with a single finger.

"You put a lot of sugar in this, and you made too much," she complained with a scrunched up face.

"I like whipped cream. I'll eat it by itself."

Now, Athena didn't doubt that, considering he ate every sugar product that she could think of and then some, but with one mischievous look at the bowl she couldn't help herself. The pie was already topped off so she didn't see why she couldn't…

Her hand dipped into the leftover substance and threw it at him. It landed in his hair mostly, but some of it splattered across his right cheek too. The surprise was clear enough on his face.

"Aww look, you've got a little something on your face," she snickered.

"Athena," he approached her slowly. His hand gathered a large portion of the sugary goodness and then smeared it across her face playfully.

"L," she said calmly, and with a hint of laughter she reached for another scoop.

A whipped cream battle broke out in the middle of the kitchen until finally they rested their backs against the fridge and slid to the floor in laughter. Their faces were covered. Their clothes were bunching together from the sticky effect it had. In front of them was the drawer with dish towels and Athena quickly grabbed one to clean her face off.

"We just wasted a good batch of whipped cream," he pouted. Athena laughed at him and used the towel to remove all the white from his face.

"You're a mess," she smoothed out his hair. She examined her finished product, but it was evident that a shower was calling him.

Without warning he gripped one side of her face and chin and then licked her exposed cheek.

"You missed some," he whispered. Her face heated with a blush due to the contact and close proximity. In that time he'd yet to release her and their eyes searched viciously for something in the others.

"You have some on your lips too," he moved closer.

Even though she knew he was lying she went along with it. His lips grazed hers at first, and then slight pressure was applied. Gently their lips moved against each other, but eventually they both pulled away.

"Umm..." "I..." they both blushed.

"I'll start cleaning," Athena jumped up.

"And I'll get back to that assignment," he fled the room.

Athena's heart was beating so fast that it could have been unhealthy. It felt strange at first, the feeling she had, but somehow she found it comforting too. An attraction that she and L had towards each other had finally pulled them together, and the feeling that came with it was one that she could accept, but she wondered that if he felt the same, could he?

L stared at monitor after monitor in puzzlement. To him it was obvious what he felt, though never having felt it before he still knew. Not only that, it was obvious how she felt too. The only problem left was how he was going to deal with it.

The sun was brighter the next day than it usually was.

"I should have your family's murderer caught by Tuesday. If my deductions are correct he's going to make a move sometime today," he informed her as they walked down the sidewalk to her car. Part of her didn't want him to ever find the guy, but then again, either way she looked at it, that man was responsible for her loneliness.

"If I lose everything in the fire," she sang slowly.

"Everything will be all right," he hugged her unexpectedly.

"Ryuzaki, whatever happens I-"

She cut herself short. The way he was holding her was more protective than affectionate, and that's when she felt the hard plate that surrounded his body. A bulletproof vest.

"He won't kill you," he whispered quickly, "trust me."

Like parting words, a gunshot echoed around the campus and L fell to his knees. A scream escaped her along with the other students in the area. She didn't care to look for the person with the gun. All she cared about was L bleeding at her feet.

"Ryuzaki!"

The adrenaline was flowing as fast as the blood on the concrete.

"Ryuzaki! No!" She cried, even though it was an act. The blood was real, but she knew it wasn't his. The impact of the bullet was somewhere on his side, although she imagined the pressure was enough to alert his brain into a state of shock and force him into unconsciousness.

She wasn't given enough time to think about it. Hands covered her mouth and soon she too was unconscious.

The sickening smell of rotting woke her from a forced slumber. Her vision was blocked with a think cloth, and her hands were bound from behind.

"That boyfriend of yours was pretty interesting, I must say," a voice called from the right. The sound of footsteps moving closer had alarmed her.

"Who are you?" She asked as firmly as she could manage.

Laughter filled the room.

"Names aren't really necessary, Athena."

"Then what do you want with me?"

Again, laughter flowed from him.

"There's so much you could offer that I just don't know what to do first," he said crazily.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She growled.

A rough hand held her face upwards.

"You are so beautiful I can't stand it," he licked her. "For years I've been waiting to have you. Since you were in high school. That day you came home to see your dead family. Your face, filled with horror was arousing, but now you've just become stubborn."

He released her.

"Why'd you kill them? You killed eleven people, no, twelve," she counted Ryuzaki, "and just to get to me?" Why didn't you just take me?" She squirmed in the chair.

The man whose name Athena did not know, but face was clearly engraved into her memory was silent for a few moments.

"I wanted to be all that you needed. I love you, Athena. Ever since that day of your sophomore year in high school. You saved me from being hit by a bus."

"I saved a child from getting hit by a bus," she corrected him.

"Had you not saved that child I would have killed myself that day. That was the first time I'd ever laid eyes on you. I want you to love me, but you keep attaching yourself to other people. How many more will you make me kill?"

She tried everything manageable to keep from yelling at him, but somehow she'd convinced herself to say fuck it.

"Are you serious? Are you fucking serious?" She stressed the words. "You're a stalker, murderer, and now a kidnapper! You killed my family for god's sake! How could anyone love you after that?"

Her face stung from the impact of his hand.

"I knew you would say that, but I did it for you!"

"I never asked for this!"

A fist connected with her stomach next. It was difficult to breathe in the stale air before, and now it was unendurable.

"Detective L will find me, dead or alive, and you, you will go to jail for a very long time," she wheezed.

"Aha, ahaha ha," he cackled. "Oh, Athena. Let him come. You'll have no one to return too. You'll be all alone."

Athena began to laugh now. "Even if that were true, alone is better than being stuck with you, but you're wrong. Even if I never hear from him again, I will always love his egotistic ass. He held value for my life, for terrible reasons, when I didn't care if I lived or died."

She thought about it more.

"And even if it was his intention from the very start for me to have feelings for him, I can't change the fact that I do. He could have manipulated me every day, but he gave my life meaning and for that I am prepared for whatever the future holds for me. Loneliness or death, I'm ready to take it on," she finished.

If she were able to see his face she would have been able to see the mixed emotions playing across it.

"I knew I was making a good choice when choosing you," the words were drowned out by the slamming of a door.

Once she thought the coast was clear she tilted her head to the side and used her shoulder to peel the blindfold off. All around her were deteriorating body parts. Blood soaked the walls. She gagged and closed her eyes. They were the bodies of her friends and police officers that protected her in the beginning.

"Bastard," she said angrily under her breath. She opened her eyes again and turned to examine her bindings.

Quickly enough, and with skill, she removed the rope and stood. She felt for the necklace L had given her.

"L," she spoke into the glass. "You probably didn't think I knew, but when you track down my location, if you're not already here, from the GPS in this, I might already be gone. It was quite a sly move to put a microphone and locater in the necklace. It was nice meeting you. Take care of Neff."

L sat outside in a van with a team of officers ready to infiltrate the building.

"Idiot," he cursed. He pressed a button on the panel sitting in front of him to signal a small blinking light. The team moved in.

Athena checked the only door to the room, but it was locked. Instinctively she checked the ceiling and to her relief a vent was there. Moving the chair she was previously strapped to she placed it under the vent. She had to jump to remove the register cover. It clattered to the ground loudly.

Her hands and arms worked together to pull her into the cool duct and without hesitation she began her escape.

The monitors in L's van had a tiny blinking dot that represented Athena's whereabouts.

Below her, Athena could hear the sounds of men shouting orders. More roughly than she intended to, her knee smashed against the metal of the air duct. Bullets pierced through the thin plates in front of her, but they didn't stop there.

L could hear a sharp intake of breath come from her as gunfire echoed around the room.

"No, stop, it's the girl," he said into the microphone connected to the head piece of every officer inside and outside of the building.

Shots ceased and the men continued on their way without even bothering to check if they'd even hit her.

"L," she breathed heavily with a hint of laughter, "I'm okay."

He could tell she was lying and got out of his vehicle with a handheld in his grasp.

Athena held her side as she continued to crawl out of the building. The wound wasn't life threatening in itself, there was no bullet lodged into her skin, but the bleeding the bullet had caused was enough to possibly endanger her. She shoved the outside cover out of her way and then let herself fall the short distance it was to the ground.

Using the wall for support she got to her feet and stumbled across the yard. Not too far away she spotted a bike.

L listened through his earpiece to her distressed breathing until he saw her mount a motorcycle.

"Athena!" He shouted.

Everything around them froze in time when their eyes met each other in a locked stare.

"Stick to your objective, L," the words burned in his ear. He was torn between his feelings and his sense of better judgment.

A group of men dragged a detained man that Athena recognized to be the man who had killed her family across her and L's line of vision.

"Thanks, L. Goodbye," she dropped the necklace to the ground and rode off.

L's heart ached as he held the necklace tightly in his palm. Malcom Jeev, the name of the man he'd been after was now on his way to prison, and Athena, she was on some journey, running away with a piece of his heart.

Athena's destination was only a twenty minute drive. Her capturer had brought her back to her hometown, and the darkness protected her now from any unwanted eyes as she entered the graveyard.

She parked the bike close to a crypt and made haste to stop the bleeding that seemed to be flowing even worse now. She bit into the hem of her shirt, tearing it off completely, and then tore another piece. The first piece was folded into a rectangle and the second was used to secure the first.

It was a puzzle as to why she'd yet to pass out, or die even. Dismissing the thought she walked the slight hill and made her way to the three tombstones she hadn't visited in a long while.

A hooded figure loomed over the place of her dead parents and brother. Her eyes ignored him and she kneeled in front of her little brother's grave. She already knew who it was.

"Well, Carter, Mom, Dad, I'm finally free," she sighed. "But," she paused now. "I'm not alone anymore. I've made a friend. Actually," her voice lowered. "I- he's become someone important to me. I wish you could meet him. I love you guys," she finished.

Moments passed before she spoke again.

"How did you find me?"

L kneeled down and clasped the necklace around her neck again.

"It was pretty obvious where you were heading this time. Malcom will be put in prison for life. You don't have to worry about him," he explained.

Athena stood up abruptly and turned on him. She swung at L's head, but in return he tripped her and made her fall into his arms. With a sly smile she pushed him to the ground roughly. Her face bore many emotions, those of pain and anger, but mostly confusion as he looked up at her. It didn't take long for him to flip their positions so that he was now straddling her. Of course he was careful to avoid her wound.

"You're a pompous jerk!" She shouted up at him. "You tricked me from the start. How could you do that?"

She was only given about four seconds to prepare herself after L's fiery gaze broke free of her own when he smashed his lips against hers. His kiss was greedy, hungry, and yet full of tenderness. Firmly, his hands cupped the back of her head as he tried to taste more of her.

"You're wrong," he said breathlessly once he broke away. "I never planned for this to happen. I never planned to fall in love with you. It was a piece that didn't fit at first, but now…your acceptance is all that matters."

He searched her face for answers.

"You already know I love you. What more can I do?" She asked while looking away in disappointment.

"You, a wife, children. You could give me all those things, just say yes."

Athena's heart skipped a beat as L conjured up a ring. He was shaking in fear.

"I've been alone all my life and you have made-"

"I can't do it," she announced. His shoulders slouched even more than before and he bowed his head to hide his face.

"Why?" The tone of his voice clearly said he was hurting.

"I don't even know your name," she smiled.

"Athena, I cannot tell you that," he said solemnly. She laughed at him.

"No, L, I mean the name I'd be married under. I know we have to-"

L's lips met hers once again in a soft kiss this time.

"Lawliet," he whispered. "Your married name will be Lawliet."

"L," she laughed weakly. "Thank you," she said, finally falling unconscious.

"No," he sighed happily at the rising sun. "Thank you, Athena."


End file.
